Falling into a Dream
by FivebyFive89
Summary: AU no Hellmouth mentioned! An alternate look at Willow and Tara getting together with a little (perhaps much needed) push from Buffy. Warning: It's silly, but the romance is there!


**A/N: So this idea of Willow going all silly over Tara popped into my head and was far too amusing for me to not write and then this creation happened. I'm not good with the mush but here is my effort at a getting together fic!  
**

**I also had no clue what to call it so just picked the title of a song on the playlist I listened to while writing. It's actually from the Far Cry 3 soundtrack but the title felt appropriate :P**

**Also I had to edit this a bazillion times as the upload onto FFNet kept buggering it up!**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

"_From the house that brought us the 'Somebody Sneezed' party and 'The Day That Ends in Y' party, I now present the more conventional 'It's Someone's Birthday' party." Willow Rosenberg said, to set the scene. "At this party everyone is welcome, including me, major nerd. And of course…" She grinned as her eyes fell upon the blonde haired blue eyed goddess, Tara Maclay, stood by herself across the room. Through the sea of dancing bodies their eyes met as though magnetized and Tara offered that ridiculously attractive lopsided smiled. Even here Willow felt her breath catch and her heart flutter. But swoon she did not, for she was cool and totally in control. Here Willow responded with a sultry smile of her own (in reality it would have been a goofy grin…) and made her way through the crush of drunken students, without being bumped into once, over to the object of her desires._

_Tara leaned her shoulders back against the wall behind her as Willow neared, glancing away but still smiling. She seemed nervous and excited, Willow noticed, with pleasure as it was she that elicited such a response, sidling up beside Tara and leaning one shoulder casually against the wall as close as she dared. She folded her arms over her chest and tipped her head back a little, adopting a cocky smile._

"_So, I've seen you around." She said. "Haven't really had time to come say hi. So, hi." Smooth as a really smooth thing. Tara looked up at her through a curtain of blonde hair, bright blue eyes filled with laughter._

"_Oh, well… h-hi, Willow." She murmured. That adorable stutter had Willow's stomach filled with butterflies the instant it surfaced. She shuffled a little closer to Tara, whose eyes stayed on hers._

"_Cool party, huh?"_

"_I-it is now." Tara replied. They were having a moment. This was definitely prime moment material. Willow inched her head towards Tara, eyes dropping momentarily to her lips. Deliciously plump and oh-so kissable lips… And Tara was moving to meet her halfway, eyes fluttering closed at the last second as-_

"Hey, wake up!" Willow jolted upright as she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder.

"Ow!" She blinked as her sleepy eyes struggled to focus under the harsh fluorescent lights illuminating the UC Sunnydale library where she sat at a desk beside long time best buddy Buffy Summers.

"You were snoring." Buffy explained, tapping the pen she had used to jab Willow with against her notebook while frowning at her notes. "People were staring."

"You couldn't have waited a couple of minutes?" Willow grumbled. Buffy's face lit up at that and she grinned at her friend.

"Ooh, Tara dream!" She said eagerly. Willow blushed and slid down low in her seat as the guy studying nearby hissed an irritable 'Shhh!' at them. Buffy shot him a glare as he turned away. "Spill."

"No."

"Pleeeease?" Buffy pouted. Willow slowly raised one eyebrow.

"No?" She replied, and Buffy sighed.

"Spoil sport." She grumbled, doodling flowers in the margin of her notebook.

"My private imaginings are private." Willow told her, picking up her own pen and staring down at the open book in front of her in the hope of at least retaining something other than Tara dreams from this study session. This study session that she had suggested. And Buffy had actually written more notes down than she had.

"Sounds kinky." Buffy teased her, and for the second time in as many minutes Willow found herself blushing.

"Not kinky, just stupid." She replied. Buffy looked sideways at her friend, brow creasing slightly.

"Why stupid?" She asked.

"I don't know if you've noticed but me and Tara don't really speak." Willow told her gloomily. "There's stammering and awkwardness and then fleeing with embarrassment." Buffy had to admit that was a pretty accurate description of the few meetings she had witnessed between her best friend and the shy blonde.

"Well. It's a start…" She said fairly. Willow shot her a dark look, suspecting sympathy rather than honesty. "It is!" Buffy insisted. "Anyway, you know my philosophy?"

"Carpe diem?" Willow asked. Sieze the day. A useful motto for someone as strong and confident as Buffy, not so great for someone as awkward and nerdy as Willow.

"Exactly." She said, patting her shoulder and nodding as though she had imparted great wisdom. Willow opened her mouth to ask Buffy to elaborate when suddenly Buffy was nudging her and nodding to something behind the redhead. "Look, it's Tara! Go now! Seize the moment! Ask her out for a coffee!"

"What? No! Why?!" Willow asked, but couldn't help twisting in her chair to look for the blue eyed beauty, heaving a wistful sigh as she saw her.

"Because if I have to live another week with you making moon eyes at her I'm going to go insane." Buffy replied. She scraped back her chair and stood up. "Hey, Tara!"

"Buffy!" Willow squeaked, whipping round to stare at her in horror. Tara looked up, startled, and halted her walk across the library to locate whoever had shouted her name (and earned themself a chorus of shushes). Buffy waved to get her attention.

"Hey! Willow wants to ask you something!" She beckoned Willow's crush over (if crush could even define this puppy love). She sat back down and gave Willow a smug look. "You can thank me later." She announced, scooping up her things and hurrying away from the table. Willow whimpered, then shot to her feet and turned around. Tara halted a few paces away, looking thoroughly confused. She had both arms crossed over a black lever arch folder, holding it to her chest as though for protection, and ducked her head as Willow's bright green eyes met hers.

"Hi!" Willow said brightly, feeling her heart crawl up into her throat. She did a stupid wave and instantly blushed. Such a dork…

"H-hi." Tara said with a half smile, glancing up at Willow through her hair. She looked expectant and God Willow had no idea what to say. "S-so, Buffy said you, um… You wanted to a-ask me something?" Tara pushed. Willow was not aided in this situation by the sight of Buffy over Tara's shoulder hiding beside a shelf and making kissy faces at her. She gulped, eyes flicking back to Tara who had absolutely no business looking so wonderful and distracting and- "Willow? Are you okay…?" She was starting to look worried.

"Um…" Willow's voice had raised an octave, courtesy of nerves. Tara gave her a gentle smile, waiting patiently. "Nice speaking with ya, bye!" Willow cried, grabbed her bag and books and fled the scene. Tara blinked and watched her go.

Buffy groaned inwardly and let her forehead drop against the wooden shelf beside her with a loud thud.

"Shhh!"

"Will you _shut up_!" She snapped.

* * *

"I hate you!" Willow wailed and Buffy dodged the sock that was flung at her as she stepped through the door into their dorm room, snatching the red-and-black stripy missile from mid-air.

"Okay so I guess that didn't go entirely to plan…" She admitted, shutting the door behind herself and standing there to watch her friend pace the space between their beds angrily.

"Plan?!" Willow cried, gesturing wildly. "There was a plan?! Why wasn't I in on this _plan_?! That couldn't have gone worse if I'd…If I'd thrown a sock at her!" She snatched her weapon of choice back from Buffy and gave her a mournful look. "I don't really hate you."

"I know." Buffy said, putting her hands on Willow's shoulders and guiding her friend over to her bed to sit down together. "And I know it kind of went wrong, and I'm sorry. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"It would have been if I wasn't such a doofus." Willow grumbled.

"At least you didn't babble at her." Buffy said, eager to find a silver lining. Willow heaved a great sigh, but had to nod in agreement. Tara had yet to witness a Willow-babble. "Look, you can't just give up. You turned gay for this girl! Remember, seize the day. _And_ actions speak louder than words." Buffy nodded sagely, pleased with her wisdom roll.

"I think my earlier actions spoke loud enough." Willow mumbled. "What if she never wants to see me again? Oh God, you don't think I've ruined it all do you? I've ruined it, haven't I? How could I! She's so shy, and I just ran out of there! I bet she thinks I hate her! I don't want her to hate me! Buffy what do I do?! You have to help me!"

"And breathe!" Buffy ordered, grabbing Willow by the shoulders and giving her a little shake to snap her out of a full blown babble attack. "Tara will want to see you again. You've ruined nothing. She doesn't think you hate her."

"How do you know?"

"Because she likes you." Willow blinked several times, and was about to question further when Buffy continued. "Whenever she speaks she trips over her words, it takes her forever. Except for when she's speaking to you, it's barely noticeable. That's important, right?"

"I guess so…" Willow said slowly, processing that.

"And she always gives you such a mushy smile. I bet she's just waiting for you to ask her out, and I swear if I have to lock you two in a room to get you on a date I will!"

"Not necessary!" Willow headed off that plan as fast as she could, earning a smirk from Buffy.

"Good. So, tomorrow you will calmly approach her after her morning class and say….?" She raised her eyebrows and motioned with one hand for Willow to suggest something. Willow took a deep breath and let it out slowly to collect her thoughts. Her friend's expression and tone clearly proposed Willow take charge of the situation with Tara. And the earlier suggestion of coffee was a pretty good idea…

"Hi, Tara, would you like to go for coffee?" She glanced up to meet Buffy's gaze and found her friend smiling warmly.

"Brilliant. Now practice it between now and tomorrow, I don't want you freaking out and bailing, or babbling at her. Coffee or no, I am placing a babble-ban on your date." Buffy paused. "…Maybe you shouldn't go for coffee…" She frowned.

"I can get caffeine free…" Willow said sheepishly.

* * *

Willow tried to still her nerves as she crossed campus towards the lecture hall Tara would shortly be leaving. _Hi, Tara, would you like to go for coffee_? She thought to herself, repeating it like some kind of special mantra. They had never really hung out together before, would it seem weird Willow was asking her on a date? A sneaky date, anyway, as the words 'date' would not pass her lips. But would Tara see it as one? She kind of hoped so…

She took a deep breath as she pushed open the main block doors and pushed her way through the scattered clusters of fellow students. This had to go well. Surely there was only so much dorkiness Tara could take before she officially labelled Willow as crazy and began avoiding her.

Her heart began to race as she looked up to see the lecture hall door open and people began to file out, laughing and chatting. And then there she was. She of the ocean eyes and golden locks. Willow stood stock still and took a deep breath to steady her nerves once more. _Don't be nervous. Don't babble. Tara, coffee, got it_. Willow strode through the hallway confidently and beamed at the blonde. Unfortunately as Tara raised her eyes and caught sight of Willow she gave a lopsided grin and all cohesion promptly vacated the premises.

"Hi, Tara!" Willow said loudly. "Wannagof'coffee?!" Tara frowned slightly, but the smile didn't falter.

"Um…" She thought she might have heard 'coffee' but wasn't entirely sure. "Excuse me…?" Willow gulped. Fantastic start. Well done Dorkeus Maximus.

"Oh, you know…" She started, "It was just a thought. A passing thought. 'Cause we're friends. Sort of, right? Well not sort of, we are. Well, I am with you. Anyway, you like coffee, right? Everyone likes coffee. But it doesn't have to be coffee, you could have hot chocolate or tea? Tea is good! I like tea. And it's not a date! Not at all. Just hanging out like all the cool kids…" She trailed off as she realized she was starting to babble and Tara began to look a little overwhelmed, and flushed pink. "Um…I was just wondering if you'd like to go for a hot beverage with me…?" She mumbled at a much more sedate pace.

"Oh…" Tara said, looking awkward. "I'm a bit b-busy right now…" She said regretfully.

"Oh…" Willow's face fell. _Play it cool_… She forced a smile, having not really prepared to be shot down. "Yeah. Well, me too. Maybe some other time." Tara nodded vigorously, hastily re-planning her day.

"Well, um…How about later?" She suggested. "Seven?" Willow instantly brightened at that.

"Yeah! Sure!" She said. "Meet there? The Grotto?" Tara nodded.

"It's a d-date." She smiled shyly. Willow's eyes widened. _Crap, she heard that_? The mischievous smile she received from Tara answered that one. "I have to go now," Tara motioned vaguely down the corridor, and Willow nodded, "But, I'll, um…see you later." She smiled and touched Willow's shoulder, giving a soft squeeze as she brushed passed. Willow watched her go until she could see her no longer, when she let out a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding.

"Oh boy…" She turned and practically sprinted back across campus to her dorm, throwing the door open when she arrived and praising every god she had ever heard of that Buffy hadn't left for lunch yet. She would definitely need help with this one.

"Did you run away again…?" Buffy asked her suspiciously.

"What? No!" Willow said, going over to her side of the room and starting to pull clothes out of every drawer she owned. "She said it's a date! I have a date with Tara!"

"That's great, Will!" Buffy swung her legs off her bed and sat on the edge watching Willow trash her side of the room. "Um, is it now?" She asked.

"No." Willow replied, scrutinizing a fluffy pink jumper. "It's at seven. We're getting coffee or something." She tossed the jumper aside.

"That's in five hours, Willow, I don't think you need to get changed yet…"

"I need to pick out something to wear that doesn't make me look like an immature loser!" Willow cried, tossing aside T-shirts with cartoon animal prints, and fuzzy sweaters, growing more and more frenzied. "And you have to help me!" Buffy couldn't help a grin as she watched Willow get herself in a flap over picking out an outfit.

"As amusing as this is…" She said, standing and crossing the room to push Willow down onto her bed. "Let's see… We wanna wow her a little without going overboard." Willow watched as her friend rummaged through her wardrobe, eventually producing black skinny fit jeans and a red fitted shirt. "Yay?" Willow shrugged. It looked a lot better than fuzzy knitted jumpers.

"You're the expert…"

* * *

Willow arrived at The Grotto, the on campus coffee shop, fifteen minutes early. She was nervous despite, or perhaps because of, Buffy's pre-date pep talk, which mainly consisted of reminders to not babble and not run away. Though she had to admit, Buffy seemed to be quite confident all would end well and that was comforting because Willow was starting to feel like a jittery school girl on her first ever date.

She made her way to a table at the back of the shop, where they could sit in relative privacy, and set her bag and jacket over one chair to lay claim before going up to the counter and ordering a hot chocolate for herself with squirty cream, and a Jasmine green tea for Tara as she had seen the blonde drink one once… She bought two blueberry muffins and carried her cargo back to the table on a tray and sat down to wait.

Five minutes later and she was staring down at her drink as the cream began to melt, wondering if buying such a sugary treat had been such a great idea.

Five minutes after that and Tara was late. Willow was beginning to wonder if she had been stood up when Tara burst through the door looking flustered, blue eyes searching the tables for Willow's face. Willow shot to her feet and waved. Tara breathed a sigh of relief and dashed over, starting to unzip the deep blue hoodie she was wearing.

"I am _so_ s-sorry! My watch stopped and I didn't n-notice, am I really late?" She asked worriedly.

"No, it's fine." Willow smiled at her. "I bought you tea! Jasmine green. I, um, heard you like it, I'm not like a crazy stalker or anything, ah…" She cut off her own babble before it could happen. "It'll be cool enough to drink, now." She sat back down in her chair. Tara gave her a shy smile as she shrugged off her hoodie and hung it over the back of her chair.

"Oh, that's sweet, but you d-didn't have to do that!" She said, sitting down opposite. Willow stared as she realized the top Tara had opted to wear showed a little more cleavage than she was used to.

"Boobs."

"What?"

"Wut?!" Willow sat bolt upright, cheeks flushing. "I bought muffins!" She attempted to divert Tara from her blunder. "I didn't know if you'd have eaten anything 'cause I have but you might not have had time, so yeah! Blueberry muffins! Very yummy. Unless you don't like blueberries or muffins. I can get something else if you want, they do great-mmmf!" This time Tara stopped her talking by tearing off a piece of muffin and stuffing it in Willow's mouth.

"Blueberry is fine. Thank you very m-much." She shot Willow a playful grin.

"I talk too much, don't I?" Willow said, looking embarrassed and picking up her muffin to eat as a distraction.

"I don't mind." Tara said, curling her fingers around the mug of tea Willow had bought for her and raising it to her lips, bright eyes meeting the redhead's for a moment. "It's, um…cute." She swiftly dropped her gaze and sipped at the tea as Willow stopped chewing at her choice of words. No one had ever called her babbling cute before.

"Thanks. I think you're the only person in the world to think that though." She said. "When I'm nervous, or I don't word my point properly, I start to babble and sometimes I forget to breathe and people have to tell me to stop. Talking, that is, not breathing." She frowned. Why would anyone tell you to stop breathing? Unless they were really horrible…

"I stammer when n-nervous. You may have noticed." Tara smiled shyly. "It…I think it annoys people? Like 'stop s-stammering and just get on with it'."

"They're idiots." Willow said, unable to understand how anyone could find that stammer anything but endearing. She did. She found everything about Tara endearing. And attractive. And-she cleared her throat, taking a sip of hot chocolate to focus herself.

"Oh…" Tara said suddenly. "You, um…h-here." She picked up a napkin and leaned across the table, dabbing at the tip of Willow's nose. Willow tore her gaze from enchanting blue eyes as Tara sat back, and looked down at her drink, realizing with horror that she had just managed to get cream on her nose.

"Maybe I should get a spoon." She rolled her eyes and was pleased to hear Tara giggle.

"It's fine!" She said, reaching over to give Willow's hand a playful squeeze. The feel of Tara's skin against hers sent a jolt through Willow, tingling along her spine. What was that? She raised her eyes to meet Tara's. _Did she feel it too_…? Tara flashed a shy smile and pulled her hand back, shifting in her seat and dropping her eyes as she tucked her hair behind an ear. _I think she did_!

"So, I don't normally get my food all over my face." Willow said with a smile. She felt her heart flutter as Tara's lips quirked up on one side and her eyes met Willow's.

"I didn't think so…" She replied, a hint of teasing in her voice. Willow arched one eyebrow, but couldn't help loving that tone. They fell into easy conversation, feeling comfortable enough to tease and flirt. Willow wondered why she had ever found it so hard to hold a proper conversation with this woman without freaking out and trying to escape. Tara bought them refills and all too soon they were being ushered out of The Grotto as it was closing. Hours had passed in what felt like minutes.

"I'll walk you back to your room." Willow offered as they stepped outside into the night. Tara smiled at her and stuffed her hands into her hoodie pockets against the chill in the air.

"Sure. Thanks." She replied, starting a slow walk across campus. Tara was just as reluctant to end their night together as she was, Willow noticed, and it gave her courage.

"We should do this again." She announced after a moment of comfortable silence. Tara smiled and nodded, glancing sideways at her.

"I'd like that." She agreed, considering dawdling further as her residence hall loomed ahead and she knew they had a limited five minutes left together. She decided against it as they were walking incredibly slowly as it was, instead giving a reluctant sigh as she pushed open the double doors and entered the building, holding one open for Willow who slipped in beside her and thankfully insisted on walking Tara right up to her door.

"So, um…This is it." Tara said. "My door." She patted the wood and gave a soft smile, glancing down at her feet, then back up into brilliant green eyes.

"Yup. Your door." Willow said, shifting awkwardly. She really didn't want to leave, and she could tell Tara didn't want her to go, but neither really knew what to do or say. What was the protocol right now? "We should do this again some time."

"Oh, d-definitely." Tara nodded eagerly. Willow paused.

"Soon." She added and was rewarded with that lopsided grin she lived to see.

"Definitely." Tara said again.

"Tomorrow!" Willow said, and flushed as she realized that maybe sounded a little _too_ eager. Tara raised her eyebrows, though there was no mistaking the playful spark in her eyes. Willow cleared her throat. "Or, you know, another time…" She mumbled, embarrassed now.

"Tomorrow sounds good." Tara assured her, unlocking her door now that she had a follow up date to look forwards to. "Um, g-goodnight, Willow." She said, leaning in and kissing the redhead's cheek. She ducked her head and turned away to enter her room.

Willow's breath caught in her throat and she reached a hand up to brush her fingers against her cheek, skin almost burning from the gentle caress of Tara's lips. Her heart began to pound in her chest. She had to do something. Right now before she chickened out.

"Tara?" She faltered as Tara turned back to her, bright blue eyes expectant. "I…" Actions speak louder than words. She licked her lips nervously, tried to work some moisture into her mouth and swallowed hard. Seize the moment. What was the use in worrying about ruining a friendship with complicated thoughts and feelings when tomorrow she could be dead? She knew Tara was about as straight as a roundabout, and was so sure the beautiful shy blonde was attracted to her. She should be brave, take the plunge, heed Buffy's advice.

"Willow…?" Tara reached out to touch her shoulder, concerned by the silence. That was when Willow leaned in and captured her lips with a lingering kiss, pouring everything she could into it. Tara had to know. How a simple look could set Willow's body on fire, a crooked grin made her heart race, how she somehow rendered Willow, _Willow_, incapable of speech. And then she realized Tara wasn't reacting. She had frozen in place, stunned, blue eyes wide with shock.

Willow pulled back, flustered, Tara's inaction making her feel like she had just made a grave mistake. Had kissing her spoken too loudly? Oh God, what the Hell had she just done?! Only ruined a friendship she treasured above all others! She stumbled backwards, cheeks flushing as Tara's mouth fell open in a silent 'oh!'.

"I-I should go…" She mumbled, starting to turn away. Tara snapped to attention then. Willow had kissed her! That beautiful redhead had kissed _her_! And now she was leaving. Tara reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back.

"You should stay." She said firmly, her tone surprising even herself. Willow looked a little startled at the sudden switch between shell-shocked to in-charge but relaxed as she felt Tara's hands resting lightly at her hips and raised her own to wind into soft blonde hair, brilliant green eyes on bright blue. She felt Tara slipping back into nervousness and so tipped her head to press the first soft kiss against shyly waiting lips. As she pulled back she was pleased to find Tara following, pulling Willow flush against her body as weeks and months of craving and wanting finally broke in a passionate kiss. Hands went wandering, mapping bodies that were desperately trying to force aside any amount of distance between them, trying to become one. But eventually the cry for oxygen became too great and the kiss halted. Tara dropped her forehead against Willow's, arms still locked around the redhead's shoulders.

"Well!" Willow said, gasping for breath. "That was…"

"Aha." Tara breathed in deeply and slowly, trying to calm herself down. Her hands were trembling.

"I think I'll definitely stay." Willow grinned. Tara stepped backwards with a coy smile, her eyes never leaving Willow's as she took both her hands and began moving backwards into her room. Willow arched one eyebrow, but allowed herself to be lead inside, kicking the door closed behind them.


End file.
